Feb. 2, 2013

COLUMBIA, S.C. — No. 47 South Carolina completed its doubleheader sweep with a 4-0 win over Wofford Saturday afternoon at USC Field House. Dominant doubles play set the tone, and the second half of the lineup took the courts first to compile the Gamecocks’ sixth win of the season. Senior Harry Menzies and sophomore Ben Barnette completed perfect afternoons, winning both their singles and doubles matches.

The Gamecocks overpowered the Terriers in the Nos. 2 and 3 doubles matches, dropping a single game between them. While Chip Cox and Tsvetan Mihov toiled against Walker Heffron and Rob Galloway at the top of the lineup, Kyle Koch and Menzies swept through an 8-0 win over David Sklar and Jackson Keith in the No. 2 match. Barnette and Thiago Pinheiro need just one extra game to dispatch Graham Duncan and Parks Thompson 8-1 in the No. 3 match to earn the first team point of the match.

In singles play, South Carolina stormed to first-set wins in the Nos. 4, 5 and 6 matches. Koch was the first to deliver his point, topping Heffron 6-1, 6-3 behind strong serving and efficient baseline play. Menzies finished his afternoon yielding just three games to Duncan in a well-crafted 6-2, 6-1 victory. Pinheiro was on the ropes in the No. 3 match against Galloway, but the Gamecock sophomore fought to a tiebreaker, which he powered through 7-6 (3) to win the first set.

In the No. 6 match, Barnette topped Thompson 6-1 in the first set and was in control of the second 5-0, but saw the Terriers’ freshman win the next five games to push him to the wall. Barnette used long baseline rallies to hold his serve for a 6-5 edge before putting Thompson away with a service break for a 7-5 victory.

With the team match decided, play in all other matches was suspended.

#47 South Carolina 4, Wofford 0

Doubles (Order of Finish: 2, 3)
1. Chip Cox / Tsvetan Mihov (SC) tied Walker Heffron/Rob Galloway (WOF) 4-4
2. Kyle Koch/Harry Menzies (SC) def. David Sklar/Jackson Keith (WOF) 8-0
3. Ben Barnette/Thiago Pinheiro (SC) def. Graham Duncan/Parks Thompson (WOF) 8-1

Singles (Order of Finish: (4, 5, 6)
1. Tsvetan Mihov (SC) led Drew Superstein (WOF) 4-1 suspended
2. Chip Cox (SC) led Jackson Keith (WOF) 2-1 suspended
3. Thiago Pinheiro (SC) led Rob Galloway (WOF) 7-6 (3), 2-2 suspended
4. Kyle Koch (SC) def. Walker Heffron (WOF) 6-1, 6-3
5. Harry Menzies (SC) def. Graham Duncan (WOF) 6-2, 6-1
6. Ben Barnette (SC) def. Parks Thompson (WOF) 6-1, 7-5